How to Polish With a Rotary Tumbler
Rotary tumblers are an ideal introduction to polishing rocks. This is a step-by-step process. Rotary tumblers have a rotating barrel that turns the rocks and grit mixture. Rotary tumblers will turn dull, everyday rocks into shiny, polished rocks.
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Instructions
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Using a Rotary Tumbler
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1
Wash rocks in hot, soapy water to eliminate dirt. Rinse soap from the rocks.
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2
Fill the barrel of the rotary tumbler to about two-thirds capacity with rocks. Add 24 ounces of 60-90 size coarse grit. Add enough water to the rotary barrel so the top layer of rocks is barely covered. Put the lid on the cover of the rotary barrel and return it to the tumbler. Run the tumbler for seven days or until the surfaces of the rocks are smooth.
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3
Stop the tumbler and remove the rocks. Wash the barrel and the rocks with warm, soapy water to eliminate any remaining grit. Put the rocks back in the barrel along with 24 ounces of 220 grit. Add enough water to just cover the top layer of rocks. Put the lid back on the barrel. Return the barrel to the tumbler and run for seven days.
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4
Remove the barrel from the tumbler. Wash the rocks and barrel clean of any grit. Return the clean rocks to the barrel and add 24 ounces of size 600 prepolish grit. Add water to cover the top layer of rocks. Return the closed barrel to the tumbler and run for seven days.
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5
Stop the tumbler and remove the barrel. Wash the rocks and the barrel with water until they are clean of any grit. Return the rocks to the barrel and add 20 ounces of aluminum oxide polish along with enough water to cover the top layer of rocks. Run the tumbler for seven days.
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Tips & Warnings
After the polishing stage, clean out the barrel and tumble the rocks with a small amount of powdered laundry detergent and water just over the top layer of rocks. Tumble the rocks and laundry detergent overnight to put a final burnish on them and remove excess polish.
During the first cycle of tumbling, periodically stop the tumbler and remove the lid. This will alleviate any potential gas buildup. Failure to do so can break the tumbler.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Photos.com/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
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Comments
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I take interest in this and would like to know more on how I can rotor rocks and design a nice decoration with rocks. If any experienced individual wants to help write to me on face book and leave some helpful tips on how I can do this please.
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This will be interesting to try for my rocks.
